A boy who collapsed on holiday because of a rare hip disease can now run around and play like a "normal" boy following surgery at Alder Hey Children's Hospital.
Mum Anna Williams, told the ECHO her son Charlie had repeated pains in his legs that continued to worsen to the point where he collapsed on holiday.
But after life changing surgery at the children's hospital, Anna is delighted that Charlie, now six, can run around and play like a "normal little boy."
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Charlie's issues started when he was just three as he had pains running through his legs and in his knees.
Despite this, doctors who saw Charlie just believed they were common growing pains experienced by all children his age.
Mum Anna, from Wigan, told the ECHO : "Being a mum, I knew there was something more to do. You know when your child is crying all the time.
"I was going back to the doctors four or five times a week for about two months but they kept saying it was growing pains and there was nothing wrong.
"He later fell up some steps and bruised his leg and he started walking with a limp so I took him to the hospital for an x-ray.
"After three hours they confirmed it was Perthes disease. Not knowing what it was I asked had it just happened now, but they said it had been going on since he was three."
Perthes disease is when the blood supply to the hip is temporarily disrupted causing weakening and damage to the bone.
Anna said because the disease had not been spotted when Charlie was younger, it could not be fixed with physio so he was referred to Alder Hey for surgery.
Anna added: "It had got so bad at home that he needed a wheelchair.
"He was so bad he couldn't walk when we were on holiday. He was walking at the beach and collapsed and couldn't walk any further.
"It was just terrible. There was no life to him, absolutely no life."
Brave Charlie had an operation at Alder Hey to reshape the bone called a varus osteotomy, but even after it was finished, he was kept in a high dependency unit due to complications.
Returning home was difficult for Charlie as he had to wear a spica cast. He was also bedbound which meant he couldn't go to the bathroom.
Anna said: "We had a hospital bed downstairs and I had to sleep on the floor.
"He couldn't use the toilet, he had to use bed pans. He couldn't go to school, he couldn't see his friends.
"I don't drive so we were stuck at home because of the wheelchair.
"Charlie's whole life changed."
Anna told the ECHO it was an awful time for her as a parent as she was constantly seeing Charlie in pain.
She said: "He was in so much pain and I was obviously terrified to see him like that.
"When your child is going into an operation you are asking yourself is he going to come out of this okay?"
But after fears over the operation and the difficulties the family had to endure when they got home, Charlie can now enjoy running about and playing like his friends, much to the joy of Anna and sister Nessie.
Anna said: "He can run, he can jump, he can play, he doesn't need his frame.
"You'd never think when he collapsed on the beach he would one day be able to walk to school.
"He's an absolutely changed child, it's brilliant.
"He's got a bit of a stiff hip, but he's like a normal boy. He told me he was glad he had the operation because now he can run around and play with his friends.
"He loves to wrestle, climb, play football, dance, play — he couldn't enjoy any of that before because it was just too difficult for him.
"Charlie has now recovered because of the help of Alder Hey.
"Without all their help, Charlie wouldn't now be able to live a normal life."
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